Star Wars Celebration is well underway in Orlando and after an absolutely brilliant first day, which included a touching tribute to the late Carrie Fisher and the surprise appearance of both Harrison Ford and George Lucas, fans camped out (some, likely for days) for the event that everyone at Celebration has been waiting to experience: the Episode VIII: The Last Jedi panel. Director Rian Johnson was on hand to introduce the audience to some new characters to the Star Wars universe but, really, all of that, while amazing, was simply icing to the cake that Johnson kept to himself until almost the end of the panel, the first trailer for the highly anticipated sequel. And, man, what delicious cake it turned out to be.

This is usually the part where we would give you some background information on the film and let you know about the plot but, hell, why not just get to it, shall we?

We will wait while you watch that about twenty more times. No hurry, we will be right here.

If hearing Luke proclaim that “it’s time for the Jedi to end” didn’t give you chills, perhaps you may not be human. Now that your heart has calmed a bit, lets get it nice and busy again with this absolutely stellar new poster for the film:

Damn, Star Wars….Damn.

There is still much that is unknown about the film, though many rumors point to some very weird things happening in this chapter of the Skywalker saga, including the reincarnation of Anakin, but as we begin to draw closer to the release date, and perhaps the D23 Expo in Anaheim later this year, more details should become available. Then again, if Disney treats The Last Jedi anything like they treated The Force Awakens, well, tidbits may be all we get until the film hits screens. December 15 can’t get here quickly enough.

Now that the Power Rangersreboot has hit screens across the globe, it seems that the world is still interested in those morphin’ teens, which should come as no surprise to fans of the series. One of the Power Rangers’ biggest supporters is Dredd producer, Adi Shankar. When we last spoke with Adi, he had lots to say about his upcoming Castlevania adaptation. While excitement for that one continues to build, we caught up with Adi who shared his thoughts on the new version of the Power Rangers, why The Avengers are outdated, and why the X-Men will always be better than the heroes sitting at the Tower. We also tried to ask him about the rumor that he’s on the short list to direct the Sony Spider-Man villain spin-off film Venom but we advised by his publicist to not talk or ask any questions about that (we’ll let you think what means).

First and foremost, I do want to thank you for taking the time to talk today. So, Power Rangers. I know you’ve been a Power Rangers fan your entire life.

It was my second favorite show growing up.

Besides X-Men right?

Yep, exactly.

I’m one of those people that if you’re not a fan of the original X-Men animated series, we probably aren’t going to get along very well. We should be ok.

(laughs) Yeah, totally. You know, that theme song was so ahead of its time.

Absolutely. As a matter of fact, I have it as one of my ringtones.

Dude, I want to do that actually. That’s a great idea.

Yeah, I like it; it’s always fun to hear. So, what did you think about the new Power Rangers reboot?

It was perfect. It was like superheroes for people who like sci-fi.

Right?

It had that like futuristic tinge thing, with like a mystery element to it. It was pretty epic.

Yeah, I personally loved it. Now that being said, your Bootleg Universe Power Rangers – it’s one of the coolest short films in a very, very long time. Obviously, it’s a stark turn from the original Mighty Morphin Power Rangers that we watched as kids. Do you feel that dark turn had any sort of influence on the direction that Saban took with the reboot?

Oh yeah, absolutely! I mean, absolutely, right?

Do you feel that it’s just more the way films are heading these days? At least, with respect to comic book and YA television properties? It’s starting to get a little bit more R rated, a little bit more gritty in terms of everything. I mean, when you look at the success of let’s say, Deadpool or Logan; I mean, Deadpool’s not necessarily dark but just a little bit more violent. But, we are heading more in that direction. What do you think it is that’s leading us that way?

(Todd McFarlane’s Spider-Man)

I’ll tell you what I think is going on. I think the internet has kind of exposed the world as not being this glossy, friendly place that the mainstream media has made us all think that it is. And the idea of Captain America in 2017 is kind of offensive. The idea of a bunch of white guys in a room sitting there trying to decide what the future of the world should look like is offensive to a lot of people. Maybe on a subconscious level. And the same thing happened in the comic books right? I mean, The Avengers and The Fantastic Four were so popular, they were so huge and they were kind of, like, everything. And then all of the sudden, the X-Men came along and everything that was cool about The Avengers started becoming kind of a joke, right? And that’s just history repeating itself. It’s like that moment when Todd [McFarlane] changed how Spider-Man moved and he changed the way that Spider-Man’s webbing was drawn. All of the sudden, everything that had come before that kind of felt really dated and silly.

Sure.

And it’s history repeating itself in that context.

Right, basically, there are plenty of storylines and plots that we have already seen, so things do begin to feel a bit dated. When you look at, say, Marvel because they’re the most apparent there, they do have a very formulaic approach to pretty much every single one of their films. You pretty much know Act 1, Act 2, Act 3 and how it’s going to turn out. DC, they’ve kind of gone, obviously, the opposite direction and taken it to a darker place, and they are trying to surprise people. Do you believe that there is some sort of happy medium in there? Or do you think that one way or the other is better?

No, look, it’s all about diverse experiences. And they should all be able to co-exist, you know. There should be an endless flow of this stuff. There should be moments when all of a sudden, you know, dark and gritty is going to do better than bright and funny. But there’s room for everything. And one of the great things about comic books is they exist across every genre. Like, to lump the X-Men in with The Avengers for instance, is a complete….they both get kind of labeled superhero right?

Right.

But they’re so different. X-Men is superheroes for people who like sci-fi, for people who want stories about outcasts. So earlier, when I was saying like, you know, people find The Avengers’ mentality of ‘No, no, it’s on us to save the world’ coming from almost an elitist place. ‘We have all of these abilities so we’re going to do it’. The X-Men – they resonated because they weren’t necessarily trying to save the world. They were like, ‘Hold on. Everyone thinks we’re criminals. We’re not. So we need to become the face of this thing that we are, called mutants.’ And then, all of the sudden, there’s like crazy terrorist mutants that are blowing buildings up and the X-Men are trying to stop them. They’re like ‘don’t make things worse for us!’

Right. The mutants are basically just trying to live while The Avengers are trying to tell others how to live.

Exactly. Exactly. Bingo. You just literally hit the nail on the head.

(laughing) Perfect.

I feel like a lot of times when I start talking about The Avengers that people just think I hate white people or something.

(laughs)

And it’s not that at all. I’m just hating on the fact that these are a bunch of dudes who are literally sitting in a tower owned by a billionaire, who’s constantly showboating and telling everyone how to live.

Yeah, shit’s getting a little too real with that isn’t it?

Yeah. That’s the problem. And then it’s like history repeating itself. It’s playing out in reality now. So again, the idea of Captain America is kind of offensive.

Now, you mentioned a moment ago that you feel that there is room for everything. I know at one point there was talk that fans may actually get a full length film featuring your Power Rangers in your Bootleg Universe. Is that something that may still come to pass, now that we’ve got the actual reboot out?

I can’t talk about that, my man. I apologize.

Okay, no worries. What is it about the Power Rangers that has kept them so popular for so long now?

Well, they were doing the Cinematic Universe… the Marvel Cinematic Universe thing way before Marvel Cinematic Universe existed. Right? It takes place in one continuous timeline for the most part. So, the Rangers keep popping up, old rangers come back (kinda cool that way). The visual aesthetic was so different to America at the time. And that aesthetic is now iconic.

Gotcha.

It’s the same reason Spawn still iconic. It’s not like Spawn has the best story of all time. It’s a story that’s been told but Spawn’s look was just so iconic because Todd knew how to create this character that, visually, no one had any doubt about who this guy was. Like, that’s Spawn.

Exactly.

So, I think that they have a visual aesthetic that becomes iconic. It effectively immortalizes you.

So, in your bootleg universe then, and not being able to talk too much more about that, obviously there are a lot of stories out there. There are a lot of comics, there are a lot of movies, whatever. Do you think that we’ll ever see a mash-up of these characters within the Bootleg Universe where they can actually work together? Like are we going to see a Marvel and DC film, possibly? Bruce Wayne: Agent of SHIELD, or something?

I’ve actually thought about that. And you know right now it feels like…you’ve got those fight videos on the internet you know?

Sure.

And they do a really good job of that. It’ll be like Luke Skywalker fighting Spider-Man.

Right. Or Goku vs. Superman or something.

Right. And there’s a place for those. And those things are very popular. I would argue that in a lot of ways they’re more popular than the stuff I’m doing in terms of just sheer viewership. But, I’m actually curious though…I have a question for you.

Sure?

I get covered a lot and I’m not an attention seeking dude. Right? But I get covered a lot. But the guys that make the fight videos don’t. Why is that? Is it because I also come from traditional media?

I would say so. I mean, when you’re producing movies like The Grey and Machine Gun Preacher, or Dredd, which, I mean, I don’t know if I’ve ever met anyone that didn’t like Dredd, instead of Goku vs. Superman, obviously it gets you a lot more attention because you have a bigger platform at that point. A bigger audience base.

Could it be, also, that there’s an idea behind all of these bootlegs? There’s a point of view, there’s a different narrative and there’s a big idea whether it’s dealing with PTSD or the Power Rangers, or it’s like the idea that we’re glorifying this James Bond character, but like things aren’t going to end up well for us. Could it also be that there is an idea behind [the Bootleg Universe films]?

Absolutely. Personally, I’ve always had the opinion that it’s not the tale, it’s he who tells it. Say that you toss one of your bootleg ideas out to somebody else. What they come up with may not necessarily be in line with what you saw in your head when you had the idea. So the fact that you’re able to put those ideas into a cohesive product while still being able to entertain…I think that that’s a big deal. And not everybody can do that.

Okay. I buy that.

(Laughs).Alright, good. You know, I think that’s actually all of our time today Adi. But you know what? I really want to say thank you again man. It’s been a pleasure speaking with you.

Yeah. No man, I love that we actually got to talk.

]]>http://nerdbastards.com/2017/03/31/interview-adi-shankar-talks-power-rangers-captain-america-is-offensive-super-hero-beat-downs-and-more/feed/0221793Come Together Right Now… And Watch The The Newest Trailer For ‘Justice League’http://nerdbastards.com/2017/03/25/come-together-right-now-and-watch-the-the-newest-trailer-for-justice-league/
http://nerdbastards.com/2017/03/25/come-together-right-now-and-watch-the-the-newest-trailer-for-justice-league/#respondSat, 25 Mar 2017 16:37:31 +0000http://nerdbastards.com/?p=221538

After premiering the first trailer at San Diego Comic-Con last year and winning over even the snobbiest of Marvel fans, Zack Snyder‘s long awaited Justice League flick is finally on the horizon. With the November release date getting closer and closer, Warner Bros. is ramping up to go full Money Beast mode, albeit a bit more slowly than DC fans would like. Today, WB has finally given fans what they have been clamoring for: a new Justice League trailer. Take a look:

Goddamn, that is an amazing trailer. Not only does it take time to address each member of the League, and even included the first look at JK Simmon’s as Commissioner Gordon and Aquamans lady Meera, Snyder was smart enough to make sure that there was plenty of levity to be found, sprinkled throughout the two and a half minute superhero fest; the trailer set to the appropriate classic Beatles song “Come Together” was a testament to that.

Director Zack Snyder has assembled DC’s biggest heroes in one movie; a dream come true for many comic book fans. Wonder Woman (Gal Gadot), Aquaman (Jason Momoa), The Flash (Ezra Miller) and Cyborg (Ray Fisher) are united by Batman (Ben Affleck) to fight a threat (that’s a lot of Parademons!) only they can combat. If you recall the initial promotions last year, WB encouraged fans to Unite the Seven, leading some to believe it was a reference to the Seven Seas, and Aquaman. However, many fans believe that the “Seven” represents the number of heroes on the team, which does still leave two members that should show up, one of them being Superman, somehow brought back from the dead. As for the seventh, well, let’s all hope that a certain ring-wearing superhero swoops in during the third act to save the day. And, that it is NOT Ryan Reynolds.

What did you think of the trailer? Which hero are you most excited to see on screen?

Now that the new Power Rangers film has hit theaters, many fans have begun to look to the future of the franchise. Considering the fact that there are currently five sequels planned, that future could be a bit more Rangers-rich than expected. With so many iterations of the team through the source material, Saban has plenty of history to draw from, while establishing this new vision of the uber silly, uber fun kids series. Sure, there may be some fans excited to see if Bulk and Skull will show up in future installments (yeah…probably not…) but the fans that have fought alongside the Rangers from the other side of the television screen since the beginning have another character request: Tommy Oliver. Well, thanks to a new motion poster and a not-too-subtle midcredits scene, audiences may have an idea when the fan favorite Ranger may show up.

Spoilers ahead.

If you were one of the many people to attend the Thursday night screenings of the flick, or jumped out of bed early this morning to hit the cineplex for Power Rangers Day, you are quite aware that the new Power Rangers film added a bit of information to the Rangers mythology; namely, that Rita Repulsa (played wonderfully by Elizabeth Banks) was originally a Green Ranger that fought with Zordon (Breaking Bad‘s Bryan Cranston), the team’s Red Ranger, 65 million years ago before betraying the team and killing them off (though Zordon’s “essence” was somehow saved in a computer). That’s right, Rita was a Green Ranger. Let that sink in for a moment.

For many, actor Jason David Frank‘s portrayal of Tommy Oliver, a henchman for Rita who eventually becomes the Green Ranger once he breaks her spell, was one of the highlights of the original series. Tommy was 1 part bad boy, 1 part Teen Beat hunk, and 2 parts bad ass, and while he was not an original member of the core team, he quickly became a fan favorite. As a matter of fact, the fans loved him so much that Tommy has shown up in almost every single variation of the original series; more than any other character. Since Rita was revealed to be the only Green Ranger in the new film, it leaves fans to wonder if they will be seeing Tommy anytime soon. Well, if this recent motion poster released by Saban is any indication, those fans won’t have to sit through too many sequels before getting their Tommy.

Now, in fairness, there really isn’t much to see there. It’s the Green Power Ranger helmet, surrounded in smoke. Really, it could mean anything. However, if you add it to the film’s midcredits scene, you get something that feels a whole lot like giddiness.

It’s just so wonderful.

Considering the timing of the poster and that rather Ferris Bueller-esque scene, fans can pretty much bet that Tommy will be suiting up and kicking ass in the next film. Though, let’s not get too hasty and throw in the White Ranger quite yet, cool?

Have you seen the new film? What did you think? Are you excited to see Tommy show up in the next film?

Are you one of the many Marvel fans that has been waiting for years to see Runaways brought to life? Since it was announced that Hulu would be producing an original show based on the comic book series for the streaming service, eager fans have been patiently awaiting any bit of news on the progress of the production. The comic book series, which focuses on a group of teens who find out their parents are part of a society of villains, has very loyal fans; fans that will likely be rather vocal when it comes to all aspects of the new Hulu series. Today, Marvel brings good news to even the most discerning of those fans. The Pride (which is the name of the aforementioned society of villains) has officially been cast and, as usual, Marvel got it right.

Since the Runaways themselves were cast, fans have been having fun with their own guesses on who may wind up rounding out the rest of the characters. In searching for the perfect talent, Marvel always takes their time and, for the most part, the actors cast as fan favorite characters are generally right on par with the fans’ imaginations. It appears that The Pride will be no different. Ladies and gentlemen, let us all give a warm welcome to Marvel’s newest baddies, as listed:

Geoffrey Wilder

Ryan Sands (“Hat Hair,” “The Wire”) as Geoffrey Wilder – is a man defined by the grueling path he’s taken to achieve his self-made success. A hulking presence, Geoffrey can effortlessly shift from approachable father to intimidating strategist with his son Alex.

Catherine Wilder

Angel Parker (“The People v. OJ Simpson: American Crime Story,” “The Strain”) as Catherine Wilder – a successful lawyer, is deliberate and calculating in both her words and actions. But when it comes to her family, she’s fiercely loyal and a loving mother to her son Alex.

Tina Minoru

Brittany Ishibashi (“This Is Us,” “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows”) as Tina Minoru – a perfectionist “tiger mom.” In her professional life, she is a brilliant innovator and ruthless CEO. Emotionally, she is less confident, often shying away from difficult conversations with her daughter Nico and careful to avoid explicit displays of her feelings.

Robert Minoru

James Yaegashi (“Breakfast at Tiffany’s” on Broadway, “Madame Secretary”) as Robert Minoru – a gentle and brilliant beta, the Woz to his wife’s Jobs. Warm and feeling, Robert sometimes struggles with being married to a woman who so forcefully barricades her emotions while caring about Nico.

Dale Yorkes

Kevin Weisman (“Hello Ladies,” “Alias”) as Dale Yorkes – a beardy, dad-core bioengineer. Incredibly science-minded, he has a deep love for his family but oftentimes falls short at knowing the right things to say to Gert.

Annie Wersching (“Timeless,” “The Vampire Diaries”) as Leslie Dean – a complicated beauty, is a poised and skilled leader. Clear-minded, focused, and charismatic, Leslie draws in devoted allies and followers who are taken by her success and charm, particularly with her daughter Karolina.

Frank Dean

Kip Pardue (“Remember the Titans,” “Ray Donovan”) as Frank Dean – a former teen star who rode a short-lived movie career and is now teeming with insecurity. Floundering in his professional career as an actor, Frank is seeking to renew purpose in his life while being a father to Karolina.

Victor Stein

James Marsters (“Buffy the Vampire Slayer,” “Angel”) as Victor Stein – an engineering genius who may just save the word from itself. Electric cars, space travel; the military and NASA both look to him for answers. As a father to Chase, Victor has lofty expectations for his son, and when they aren’t met, his retribution can be fierce.

Janet Stein

Ever Carradine (“The Handmaids Tale,” “Goliath”) as Janet Stein – a perfect PTA mom. Harboring a brilliant mind of her own, she has made deep sacrifices for her husband’s world-changing career. Though she hides it for the wellbeing of her son Chase, Janet longs for more from her life.

Together with the previously announced rebellious-but-in-a-good-way teens Rhenzy Feliz, Lyrica Okano, Virginia Gardner, Ariela Barer, Gregg Sulkin and Allegra Acosta, the casting for Marvel’s Runaways seems as if Hulu may actually have a much stronger grasp of the superhero genre than originally feared. Will the series be as dark and gritty as Marvel’s Netflix series’? Let’s hope not but with that cast, there is definitely some hope that this will be an amazing series. Even producer Jeph Loeb seems to be a bit blown away by the cast:

This cast has come together in ways we couldn’t have imagined and we are thrilled to work with this outstanding group

Runaways co-creator, Brian K. Vaughan, is similarly excited:

‘Marvel’s Runaways’ has enough great actors to support two shows but I love that this project contains multiple generations of incredible talent all in one story.

For those unfamiliar with the property, here is Marvel’s brief description:

Every teenager thinks their parents are evil. What if you found out they actually were? “Marvel’s Runaways” is the story of six diverse teenagers who can barely stand each other but who must unite against a common foe – their parents.

There is absolutely no disputing the fact that Marvel is truly the King of the Comic Book Box Office. Almost every one of their feature films that has hit the screen since the creation of Marvel Studios has been widely praised and adored (sorry, Incredible Hulk, you can sit this one out) and while they werent the first to create a “shared universe” on film, they are fairly responsible for the coined term. Their turn on television, however, has been a bit rockier. Their ABC series, Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. is perpetually on the cusp of cancellation, though this past season has seen a few more eyes in front of screens. Their Netflix series, Daredevil, fared much better during its first season run but audiences seem to have cooled for its second. Jessica Jones and Luke Cage each have a small following but nothing like the success that Marvel rival DC is seeing in shows such as The Flash and Supergirl. There is definitely a chance that Hulu’s approach may be just what Marvel Television needs in order to begin its reign on the small screen and Marvel’s Runaways is definitely a property that is fun enough to be a super success, if handled correctly. Here’s hoping.

How do you like the cast? Who would you like to have seen in the roles?

After a midseason break that seemed much too long, Supergirlreturned to television in Supergirl Lives, with Kevin Smith in the director’s chair. This isn’t Smith’s first Arrowverse rodeo, having previously directed a couple of episodes of The Flash, and considering The Fatman’s unabashed love for all things DC Comics, fans of Supergirl were excited to see what he would do with his chapter of Kara Danvers’ story. While the premise of the episode seemed promising, what audiences wound up with was an episode that was a little cliche and actually took a bit away from at least one of the characters. Spoilers ahead.

Everyone on Team Danvers is finally getting into the groove of things. Kara has found her love of investigative journalism, Alex is basking in the joy of her new relationship, and Winn and James have become quite the team when it comes to James’ secret alter-ego, Guardian. That is, until those same paths wind up taking the team places that none of them have ever been, both literally and figuratively.

After a bad guy brawl with Guardian goes south, Winn is knocked the hell out, taking away any confidence he had in his decision to be a superhero. Of course, when asked about his black eye, he can’t come right out and say that he was knocked out while fighting crime, so instead he tells the team that he was mugged (that old chestnut) and, for some reason, the team believes him. Sure, it is a hollow excuse and it does require a bit of suspension of disbelief when it is pretty obvious that the DEO, all of them trained agents and heroes, somehow buy the excuse hook, line, and sinker. As expected, the PTSD from the encounter does give Winn a barrier to overcome and by the end of the story, he is truly the only character that benefited from the episode, having grown after facing his fears and kicking a bit of alien ass on another planet. Watching him proclaim “I’m not a red shirt. YOU’RE a red shirt!” was probably the highlight of the episode. Winn has definitely gone through changes since the series premiered and watching the character grow into something he never knew he could become has been fun. That trend only continues in Supergirl Lives and may be one of the best parts of the series as a whole. The other characters, well…

For Kara, for the most part, it is business as usual. As she is approached by a mother who is desperate to find her missing daughter, she vows to find the teen girl, despite the protests from her editor, who insists that even his breakfast pastry is more important. The thing is that the moment that the mother begins speaking to Kara, there is no question as to which direction the Kryptonian will fly. Audiences know Supergirl is the hero and, as such, will do her best to reunite the heartbroken mother with her daughter. The investigation leads to a doctor who, under the guise of “clinical trials”, is transporting unsuspecting humans to a distant planet through a portal that more than passingly resembles a Stargate. As Supergirl passes through the portal it is unsurprising to find that the planet she winds up on just happens to have a red sun, rendering her powerless. And, since it is business as usual, of course Kara, powers or not, decides to head to a “murder castle” (as Mon-El puts it) to free the captured humans, who she quickly learns are being sold into slavery. In a play that has become expected at this point, Supergirl stands up to the captors and is tortured in front of the would-be slaves, which encourages the group to turn against their alien kidnappers. In other words, for Supergirl, nothing really changes. Sure, as Kara, she winds up finally standing up to her editor and lets him know exactly what kind of journalist she wants to be, eliciting an under-the-breath “attagirl” from her stereotypically grumpy boss, but other than that, there wasn’t much for her to do in the episode, other than exactly what she does in almost every episode.

Ditto for Mon-El, who has taken a job as the worst bartender ever at The Alien Bar. He is still trying to come to terms with living on Earth and disguising himself as human, just as he has since he first appeared. He foolishly decides to follow Supergirl through the portal instead of grabbing the DEO for help as he was instructed, then questions why anyone would want to be a hero, before ultimately deciding that he does want to be a superhero, cape and all. While the plot around Mon-El thickens and aliens are searching for the last Daxamite, presumably because he is actually the prince that he originally spoke of, rather than the prince’s bodyguard, as he first claimed, Mon-El himself seems to jump in to play the same part in every episode. Sure, in Supergirl Lives, he does make the decision to be a hero, which is definitely a bit of growth from the character that initially had no desire to be a hero, but for the most part, the character hasn’t grown much at all since audiences first met him and has become almost stagnant. Considering Mon-El’s association with the Legion of Superheroes, however, at least fans have something to look forward to in the future. Until then, hopefully, Mon-El will continue to move forward, albeit very, very slowly.

Alex, on the other hand, rather than becoming stagnant, has actually taken a step back from the badass that she is because (awww) love. At the beginning of the episode, Alex is basically acting like a cliche teen girl going through her first love. As the episode progresses and Kara is stranded on the distant planet, Alex takes another step back as she attacks her new girlfriend and decides to run, just because her little sister got herself into a jam. Everyone remembers their first love and how it changed them and it’s possible that Smith was truly trying to convey that feeling of giddiness and excitement, of apprehension and self-doubt. Instead of considering the fact that this is a grown woman who has lived her life strong and independently, however, Smith models her behavior after what one can only assume is his teen daughter, Harley, who, by the way, later shows up as the kidnapped teen the mother was pleading with Kara to find (sidenote: Kevin, it’s time to stop putting your kid in everything you direct. At least, until she gets a few acting lessons under her belt. Please.). Alex acts silly and dramatic and it is a bit of a disservice to assume that this character would act like a 14 year old, just because she is in love. Of course, by the end of the episode, Alex clears things up with her love interest while simultaneously revealing to her that Kara is indeed Supergirl. Whoops.

After last year’s massive crossover event, Invasion!, the CW seems to have become a bit too confident with their product, expecting the episode to pass unscathed, simply due to the fact that it is a Supergirl story directed by Kevin Smith. Unfortunately, the fans deserve better, at this point. Let’s not forget that horrible pilot and the commitment to the series fans have already displayed in their continued support of the series after that rough start. Supergirl fans have watched as the series started on shaky ground; they breathed a bit easier as the series found its footing; and those fans cheered when Supergirl finally began to soar and became one of the most fun series on television. In other words, those fans deserved better than they were fed with Supergirl Lives. Luckily, at this point in the series, episodes this hollow are very few and far between, and can be forgiven every once in awhile. Let’s hope that next week’s episode will be a return to form. Here’s a quick preview of things to come.

Well, that didn’t take long. Hot off the heels of the rather bumpy leaked trailer, 20th Century Fox has now released the official trailer for Wolverine’s third solo outing, Logan. Keep in mind, however, that the official trailer is no less bleak than the leaked moments. Take a look.

Damn. If you don’t have chills after that one, you may be a mutant, yourself. Johnny Cash’s cover of ‘Hurt’ is the perfect backdrop to the trailer, which features a much older, much more broken Logan than audiences have seen in the past. The trailer plays the film as almost a gritty drama, in which an old soldier past his prime is called back to the field for one last mission and, really, isn’t that exactly what a film paying tribute to ‘Old Man Logan’ should be?

There is no denying that there will be some brutal fight scenes in the film and the trailer gives fans just a brief taste of that brutality; enough to whet the appetites of Wolverine fans everywhere. Sure, it’s only a few moments of the film and it is always best to reserve judgement until the final product is unveiled but in addition to the action, the acting and the story itself definitely seem to point to Logan being one of the best superhero films to date. Let’s hope it can live up to its potential.

What do you think of the trailer? Do you have an ‘Old Man Logan’ scene you hope makes it into the film?

Ghost in the Shell is one of the most beloved anime films in history. To call it a “cult classic” would truly do the film a disservice, considering the vast majority of viewers find themselves falling in love with the film, even if they have never enjoyed anime previously. Incredibly led by director Mamoru Oshi, the 1995 film, which was adapted from the manga series of the same name, was a stylish blend political intrigue and philosophical tones, with futuristic technology and amazing music providing the perfect backdrop. When it was first announced that Paramount would be preparing a live action adaptation of the film, the announcement was met with a bit of trepidation, to say the least. When it was announced that Scarlett Johansson would be playing the lead role of Motoko Kusanagi, simply called “The Major” in this incarnation, that trepidation became downright disappointment. Well, Paramount has decided to unleash not one, not two, but FIVE teaser trailers for the new film and…Well…Take a look for yourself.

Paramount unrolled their newest promotions for the new film last night and throughout the combined 50 seconds of footage, there are definitely some scenes that GITS fans will recognize, and that they may even cheer. Take a gander.

At this point, it really is tough to tell whether or not the film will do the original justice and no matter how good the final product stands, there will definitely be those fans of the original that will cry “foul!”. Still, at first glance, the film does have some potential. Then again, so did Speed Racer, and it is tough to forget how that one turned out.

The original film, as well as the manga series, followed Kusanagi (part of Public Security Agency Section 9) as she tracks down The Puppet Master, a hacker of the highest caliber. Of course, as her search continues, she discovers that secrets within her government run deep, and that no one can be trusted. Whether or not the live action film will follow the same path is yet to be seen but based on the teasers, it looks likely, though, considering it is Hollywood, they will likely change that ending.

Throughout every Superman film that has graced the silver screen, a heavy emphasis is placed upon his physical strength. As an alien who gets his amazing abilities directly from the yellow sun, it is tough to avoid the focus on those abilities, especially when he’s duking it out with the likes of Doomsday or Zod. As humans, however, many times we fight foes that are much more destructive and deadly than The Blue Boyscout’s enemies; battles that Supes himself couldn’t win. In June of 2005, comic book writer Jeph Loeb was one of the many that felt the devastating effects of one such foe when is son, Sam Loeb, succumbed to his battle with cancer at the age of 17. Ten days after his passing, Jeph wrote a very personal story about a young Clark Kent and his brush with the disease. Now, eleven years later, in a fan made film, audiences have a chance to experience the story, and celebrate Sam’s life, in a whole new way.

Of the many times Superman has flown to the box office, only a small portion of time has been dedicated to the emotional strength that the (almost) last Kyrptonian must display, especially as a young man who was first coming into his own. Sure, Smallville did give the alien disguised as Clark Kent a bit more drama and feeling but nothing deeper than an audience may have seen with Brandon Walsh as he dealt with teenage angst in Beverly Hills during the 90’s. In the fan film, “It All Goes Away”, which is based on Sam’s Story, there is no alien threat to be fought; no pending doom on the planet; no red Kryptonite from which to be cured. Instead, it is a boy who knows he can do anything as he faces the one thing he cannot fight: mortality of a friend. Grab a tissue and take a watch.

The film really speaks for itself and there is no doubt that the filmmakers responsible likely had a brush with cancer, whether personally or through a loved one, and truly cared about the subject matter. Well done.

If you want to take a peek at what Sam had to offer before his passing, take a look at some of the old back issues at your local comic book store for Dark Horse’s Tales of the Vampire #5 and DC’s one-shot Superman/Batman #26 (in which 26 of the biggest names in comics came together to complete the story Sam, tragically, could not). You won’t be disappointed by the work but there is no doubt you will be saddened that such a talent was taken so young.

22 years ago, an independent film hit the art houses across the US and taught the less adventurous among the audiences a new meaning to the word “snowball”. While Clerks remains director Kevin Smith’s most celebrated film to many cinephiles out there, there are few, if any, that could have guessed that one film, a film that celebrates all things slacker, would go on to spawn a whole universe of films. Sure, audiences just can’t get enough of Jay and Silent Bob, but 22 years and 5 movies later, the fact that Smith still has some steam left in his Red Bank Saga, and that audiences are still ready to continue the journey alongside Jay and his hetero life mate, is damn near a miracle. While Smith fans (and Smith haters, for that matter) await any word on Clerks 3 that they can get, the director has decided to turn his focus on another project: the Mallrats sequel/tv show. In a recent interview with Creative Screenwriting, the mind behind the ViewAskewniverse has finally started dropping details on the upcoming series and where the tale is headed.

After being announced earlier this year, little has been revealed about the series that will continue the story that began with Smith’s least successful movie, 1995’s Mallrats. For those that may have missed it, the movie followed two best friends, each dumped by their respective girlfriends earlier in the day, as they peruse the local mall and try to make sense of love and life. The film starred Jeremy London, Jason Lee, Shannon Doherty, a very douchey Ben Affleck, Michael Rooker, Claire Forlani, and, of course, Kevin Smith and Jason Mewes, and while Mallrats remains one of Smith’s least successful projects, Smith has been doing his damnedest to get a sequel made. After being turned down by Universal, Smith wound up going a different direction, pitching the idea for a tv series, rather than a film, which seems to be going much more smoothly with the financiers that will have to foot the bill. Interestingly, enough, it turns out that if the Mallrats tv series is a success, Smith will have none other than Jason Mewes to thank for the move. According to Smith, while on the set of The Flash, of which Smith directed an episode last season, Mewes actually provided the inspiration for the turn of events:

He said, ‘What else are you working on? What about Mallrats? Could that be a TV show?’ And I said, ‘No, you fucking idiot, Mallrats could never be a TV show because …’ And then I couldn’t come up with a good fucking reason! I said, ‘Oh my God, dude, you’re right! I bet I could go into Universal Television and I bet you they’d be more interested because that’s where everybody’s watching things these days.’ Here I am trying to sequelize, theatrically, a twenty-one-year-old movie that flopped the first time. Naturally, no one gets hard when you talk about that in the studio system. But when you step into Universal TV and you’re like, ‘hey, what about Mallrats the Series?’ they got it right away. They said, ‘Are you kidding me? That’d be perfect.”

“Perfect” may a bit strong a word, considering there really is no reason for the sequel to really exist in the first place. With Clerks 2, the entire saga was completed, wrapped perfectly with a closing black and white scene that bookended the film where it all began, the original Clerks. Smith’s movies have always been very divisive and one viewer’s treasure is always another viewer’s trash bin. That being said, Smith does his own thing, regardless of critics (at this point, of course), and if he feels like bringing a project to life, whether it be about a man who is transformed into a walrus or having his daughter star in what essentially sounds like a Canadian, female led Clerks throwback, he is going to do it. As long as he has the money, of course, and it sounds like the move in format was the perfect bait to bring Universal to the table. Of course, Smith must have a great idea for the project if Universal is biting, right?

It’s a real sweet, family story. It’s a multi-generational tale. It’s my chance to do John Hughes and Degrassi Junior High, because much like the Degrassi formula we know our legacy cast – we know Brodie and Rene and T.S. and Jay and Silent Bob – and then we meet their kids. So we meet Brodie and Rene’s daughter Banner Bruce, and the story takes place in his world and her world. Nobody goes to the fucking mall anymore, so the kids are baffled by it, and Brody still believes in it in a big, bad way. The thing that I’m happiest about is that when I was doing it as a movie – I always saw the two inspirations for Mallrats as John Landis and John Hughes – and the Mallrats 2 script was very John Landis. Very antic, with guns everywhere, and lots of explosions and action, and less John Hughes … The chance to do Mallrats as a series allows me to do more John Hughes than John Landis and particularly the area of Hughes that I never got to tackle as much as I did in Yoga Hosers: high school.

What made Mallrats so entertaining is the absolute ridiculousness of the film and the utter vulgarity sprinkled throughout. No one that has ever seen the film will ever forget exactly what a “stinkpalm” is, nor will they forget Jay and Silent Bob using a Bat Grapple directly from Bob’s utility belt to escape the dreaded head of mall security, La Fours. In other words, the original direction of the film sounds as if it would have been much more in line with what fans of the first film would expect. Whether or not those same audiences, many of whom now have their own teen children, will follow Smith on his more Hughes-inspired path may or may not be seen, as the series has not received an official order, as of yet, but one thing is definitely guaranteed: Smith will push this project until it either rises to greatness or perishes in flames and all the while, he will likely wear a jersey.

What do you think about the direction of the series? Are you ready for another round with Brodie and the gang or is it time for Smith to move on from Red Bank, NJ?